Shadow Jago (often referred to as simply Shago by fans) is the Omen-possessed form of Jago, introduced in Killer Instinct (2013) as a skin for Jago given to players who purchased a Day One 12-month Xbox Live membership. Shadow Jago is also the hidden boss of Killer Instinct's Arcade Mode, being fought at the end of the ladder instead of Fulgore under special conditions.

Throughout all of Season 1 and soon after Season 2, Shadow Jago was merely a skin who had the exact same moveset as the normal Jago. However, as of the Cinder release in April 2015, the Killer Instinct Community Fund began. For the two weeks after, all proceeds from Killer Instinct profits would be donated to the competitive tournament scene. When the Killer Instinct Community Fund reached its goal of $100,000 by only May 4th, it was announced that Shadow Jago would be getting his own, unique moveset by the end of 2015. He was "unleashed" on December 4th later that year.

Contents

Biography

Appearance

In appearance, Shadow Jago is almost identical to Jago except for a few key changes. His skin is a pale blue, he has pupil-less eyes, has chains in place of rope wrapped around his torso, and various articles of clothing are tattered. His facemask is stylized after a skeletal jaw, and his knee guards more closely resembles skulls than they do tigers. Rather than Jago's scimitar, Shadow Jago wields a serrated, saw-like blade. His visual effects (such as the Shendokuken) are colored purple, blue, and black, as opposed to Jago's previously orange, yellow, and white effects.

His voice is much more sinister and darker than Jago's, often resorting to deep guttural growls rather than words. Even though his voice is different, both Jagos share the same lines.

Personality

Shadow Jago is a merciless monster who fights without any signs of restraint, bellowing with fury and growling like an animal as he pummels his enemies with a barrage of attacks from all angles. He mindlessly seeks out those who would oppose Gargos so that he may defeat them and transmit their energies to his master. Omen can speak using Shadow Jago as a conduit whenever he chooses, giving him the same cold and cocky attitude Omen normally has.

Abilities

As Shadow Jago, Jago's powers were boosted by Gargos' evil influence. All of his energy attacks became purple in color, and he also gained the ability to teleport in a flash of darkness.

Story

Torn by inner conflict for his past deeds, Jago embraces the Tiger Spirit only to discover it is a false prophet. Corrupted by the evil of Gargos, Jago is transformed into Shadow Jago, a dark reflection of the once noble warrior. Driven to conflict, every defeated opponent feeds energy directly to Gargos, drawing him closer to this plane of reality and the eventual destruction of mankind.

Boss Battle

Shadow Jago is not fought in Arcade Mode by conventional means and must be unlocked to fight. In order to fight him, you must see all three endings of a character in Arcade Mode, regardless of difficulty. After doing that, that character (or any other character that has all three endings) must go through Arcade Mode again on at least Hard or higher difficulty. The player must not lose one fight, get two Supreme Victories, Ultra one opponent before the Rival character, and then Ultra the Rival. If the conditions are met, the final fight against Fulgore is skipped and Shadow Jago is fought in the Shadow Tiger's Lair instead.

This unplayable version of Shadow Jago has been tweaked in a few ways that make him different from the playable "skin version". He utilizes the move Ninja Slide from Jago in Killer Instinct 2, which allows him to slide across the floor to attack and, if successful, end up on the opposite side of his opponent. Shadow Jago also utilizes a brand new dive kick, later to be known as Dark Stalking. He can throw two Shendokukens at once, rather than just one. He also has buffed stats, including super armor on some moves, and can finish you off with the game's only Ultimate Combo.

If Shadow Jago is defeated, a new ending sequence showing a montage of all the characters of Season 1 and ARIA is played, and the stage Shadow Tiger's Lair is unlocked.

Moveset

The old playable version of Shadow Jago had a moveset that was identical to normal Jago's, but when the Killer Instinct Community Fund was completed he received his own moveset. The new playable version (nicknamed the "Real Boy Edition" by Iron Galaxy, in reference to Pinnochio) has a fairly different moveset heavily based on his appearance as Arcade Mode's secret boss.

Unique Trait -Shadow Surge: Shadow Jago can enhance his special moves with additional properties by quickly hitting the button twice instead of just pressing it once. "Surging" special moves uses up a small portion of your Shadow Meter.

Combo Trait - Around the Underworld: By incorporating Light, Medium, and Heavy linkers into combos in any order (Light Medium Heavy, Heavy Light Medium, Medium Light Heavy, etc.), Shadow Jago can rack up extra potential damage (silver health) on his opponent during a combo. Unlike Jago's Around the World and Omen's Demon Loop, it does not matter what order you input them in.

Command Attacks

Gatekeeper - (Forward+HK) - Shadow Jago performs a short pushkick.

Dark Reckoning - (Back+HK)- Shadow Jago performs a short hop with a midair crescent kick. Hits overhead. Can be canceled into from any normal attack. Can cause stagger.

Dark Impulse - (Forward-Forward) -Shadow Jago's dashes travel farther than Jago's, but also take a very long time to complete. During a dash Shadow Jago teleports and can pass through the opponent, similar to Sabrewulf's dashes. These dashes can also be canceled into a throw, Gatekeeper, Dark Fury, or Dark Demise.

Throw - (Forward or back+LP+LK) - Shadow Jago grabs the opponent and rolls them over his shoulder like Jago's throw, but then teleports and launches them into the air with two sword slashes visually similar to Jago's Heavy Laser Blade.

Special Moves

Dark Drift - (QCB+K) - Shadow Jago advances with a sliding kick along the ground. If it hits, Shadow Jago ends up on the other side of the opponent. Acts as an opener, linker, and ender. Surge version has Shadow Jago teleport behind the opponent before attacking for a cross-up, but it is very unsafe.

Dark Demise - (QCB+P or Forward-Forward+K) - Shadow Jago cancels all air momentum and descends in a fixed-angle divekick. If used on the ground, he teleports into the air before attacking. Bounces off the opponent on hit or block. Can also be activated during a dash by hitting any kick. Acts as a linker and ender. Surge version hits multiple times, is much safer on block, and acts as an opener.

Shendokuken - (QCF+P) - Shadow Jago throws a dark purple fireball forwards. Unlike Jago's Endokuken, it moves much faster and can be used midair. Additionally, several fireballs can be on screen at once. Acts as an ender. Surge version throws one fireball horizontally and then another diagonally upwards, and when Surged midair one fireball is thrown horizontally and then another diagonally downwards.

Dark Fury - (DP+P)- Shadow Jago flies upward, delivering a spinning uppercut with his sword as he ascends. Unlike Jago's Tiger's Fury, it moves directly upward with no forward movement and hits multiple times. Acts as an ender. Surge version has Shadow Jago teleport back to the ground while still midair for a second follow-up Dark Fury.

Dark Catastrophe (Forward-Forward+P) - Shadow Jago performs a Dark Fury, but completely diagonally. Can only be performed from a dash by hitting any punch, and cannot start a combo. Surge version has Shadow Jago teleport back to the ground for a second follow-up Dark Catastrophe.

Shadow Dark Fury - (DP+P+P)- Shadow Jago flies upward, delivering a spinning uppercut with his sword that hits five times as he ascends.

Instinct Mode

Dark Gift (playable version) - By dashing through his opponent or hitting them with a Shendokuken, Shadow Jago attaches a Dark Tether to them. When the Dark Tether is attached, all of Shadow Jago’s Shadow and Surge moves cost him half the usual amount and the remaining half is drained from his opponent’s meter. It is a one-way link, and the opponent's Shadow moves will not drain from Shadow Jago. If (HP+HK) is pressed while a Dark Tether is attached, he will strike a quick pose and both Shadow Jago and his opponent will gain a full Shadow Meter. Taking damage will cause the Dark Tether to break. He also gains frame advantage on all of his moves.

Annihilation - (QCF+LP+LK)- Shadow Jago dashes forward to initiate the attack. When it hits, Shadow Jago quickly slashes the opponent three times as he dashes back and forth - he then uppercuts them into the air before pursuing them with a final midair slash and landing back to the ground. Can only be activated while in Instinct Mode and consumes all of remaining Instinct Meter. Annihilation's damage is based on how much Instinct Meter was left when the attack was performed. Cannot be performed during a combo. Acts as a throw, meaning it cannot be blocked and must be avoided.

Gargos' Fury (boss version) - Shadow Jago gradually drains Shadow Meter from his opponent and adds it to his own for the duration of Instinct Mode.

Ultimate Combo

Shadow Jago is the only character in Killer Instinct to have an Ultimate Combo, where it is frequently used by his boss version as a finisher. It can be used when the player, but only when the player is still on their first life bar. The Ultimate is activated with the same input as Annihilation (QCF+LP+LK), but only during a combo when the opponent is in Danger, similar to an Ultra Combo.

The Ultimate Combo appears similar to Annihilation, but with some critical changes. The screen completely blackens around Shadow Jago and his victim before Shadow Jago slashes through him/her back and forth thirteen times, then uppercuts the victim into the air; pulls his broadsword back out reversing the grip and strike the victim's body through in the air; as landing, Shadow Jago then strikes his broadsword onto the victim for the kill before putting the weapon away.

Stage

Similarity of both Tiger Shrine (KI) and Bridge (KI2), but a darker setting

During an Ultra Combo, the lair will collapse, and the rope that holds the bell in place collapse, causing the bell to crash onto the bridge which leads the entrance to the lair.

Ultra Combo Hits: 39 Hits

Quotes

“

I'm afraid your path ends here.

„

—as Jago skin.

Trivia

His theme is a heavy metal remix of Jago's theme, including a much faster tempo and death growls instead of traditional chanting.

In his dynamic theme, a remix of Gargos' theme "Dungeon" will play. He shares this theme with Omen.

During the slow music due to characters not moving, the samples from Jago's classic theme, "Do It Now" will play.

While Ryu from Street Fighter is turned into Evil Ryu by the Satsui no Hado, and Jin Kazama from Tekken is turned into Devil Jin by the Devil Gene, Jago is transformed into Shadow Jago by Gargos' corruption through Omen.

Despite being a Shadow version of Jago, he may still received his own Shadow Skin.

Gallery

Shadow Jago's Emblem

Shadow Jago's boss intro pose

Shadow Jago's boss victory pose

Shadow Jago's Shadow Tiger's Lair

Shadow Jago's special versus pose when fought as a boss. Note how he is completely silhouetted, as well as in a different pose.